Nara · Sights

Best Temple in Nara

16 places, each checked by our team.

• Akishinodera Temple 秋篠寺Nara (Akishino) — Quiet temple in northwestern Nara with a Kamakura-period main hall (National Treasure) and the graceful Gigeiten statue, goddess of the arts.
• Asukadera Temple 飛鳥寺Asuka — Site of Japan's first full-scale Buddhist temple (founded 588) in Asuka village, home to the Asuka Daibutsu, Japan's oldest known Buddha statue.
• Chikurin-in Temple 竹林院Yoshino — Shugendo temple lodging on Mount Yoshino with the Gunpoen strolling pond garden, also operating as a ryokan open to all travellers.
• Chuguji Temple 中宮寺Ikaruga — Nunnery next to Horyu-ji's Eastern Precinct, home to a serene Asuka-period seated Bodhisattva and Japan's oldest embroidery, both National Treasures.
• Gango-ji Temple 元興寺Naramachi — World Heritage temple in Naramachi that succeeded Japan's first full-scale temple, Asuka-dera, keeping roof tiles from the 6th century.
• Hasedera Temple (Nara) 長谷寺Sakurai — Mountain-side head temple of the Buzan Shingon school in Sakurai, known for its 399-step covered corridor, huge Kannon statue and peony gardens.
• Hokkiji Temple 法起寺Ikaruga — Ikaruga temple with Japan's oldest three-storied pagoda (706), a National Treasure and part of the Horyu-ji area World Heritage site.
• Horyu-ji Temple 法隆寺Ikaruga — Temple founded by Prince Shotoku in 607 whose Western Precinct contains the world's oldest surviving wooden buildings; Japan's first UNESCO World…
• Kinpusenji Temple 金峯山寺Yoshino — Head temple of Shugendo on Mount Yoshino; its 34 m Zao-do hall is one of Japan's largest wooden buildings and part of a World Heritage site.
• Kofuku-ji Temple 興福寺Nara Park — Former Fujiwara clan temple in Nara Park with a 50 m five-storied pagoda, a National Treasure Museum and World Heritage status.
• Muroji Temple 室生寺Uda (Muro) — Forest temple in Uda known as 'Women's Koyasan', with Japan's smallest outdoor five-storied pagoda and Heian-period halls.
• Shin-Yakushiji Temple 新薬師寺Takabatake (Nara) — Nara-period temple whose original main hall holds a seated Yakushi Buddha ringed by twelve clay guardian generals, all National Treasures.
• Taimadera Temple 當麻寺Katsuragi — Ancient temple at the foot of Mount Nijo with the only pair of Nara-period East and West pagodas surviving in Japan, both National Treasures.
• Todai-ji Temple 東大寺Nara Park — Nara's great 8th-century temple whose Daibutsuden hall houses a 15 m bronze Great Buddha; part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara World…
• Toshodai-ji Temple 唐招提寺Nishinokyo — Temple founded in 759 by the Chinese monk Ganjin (Jianzhen), with a rare original Nara-period golden hall and lecture hall; World Heritage site.
• Yakushi-ji Temple 薬師寺Nishinokyo — Late-7th-century head temple of the Hosso sect in Nara's Nishinokyo area with twin pagodas, including the original 730 East Pagoda; World Heritage…